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“Footnotes”

Since I have been called “obscure” (or worse), I try to provide amplifying information where it may be needed. Just like in your old school reports, many times I’ll do this by putting a little elevated symbol (superscript) at the end of a thought. Instead of looking at the bottom of the page for a matching number, now you can just click on the symbol and be automatically transported to the appropriate reference material. Since I no longer need numbers, I’ve replaced them with the following: “A” means you will be sent to an article on the Web confirming my remark, “B” will be a previous blog post, “C” sends you to one of my side comments, “D” means a definition, and “E” means something providing extra information. These symbols may be followed by a number if I need to refer to the reference again later.

I could also use inline notes (click on the gray-highlighted line) or traditional hyperlinks (click on the underlined words).

The Problem With Pendulums

Don’t get me wrong! There is a place for pendulums, but only because their imperfections are so predictable.

To see the Note click here.To hide the Note click here.

Wikipedia has an articleD that gives more information about pendulums than most readers would like, including the math, history, and problems perfecting them. For a shorter version focussing mostly on the math, see The Department of Physics & Astronomy website at Georgia State University.

Pendulums try very hard to be in the right place at the right time, but they are dismal failures. The only time they rest or stop moving for even a moment is when they are as far from perfect as they can possibly get. They spend less time at their desired destination than they spend anywhere else on their route, and during that nanosecond of success, they are moving their fastest toward another extreme position. Why is that?

Pendulums cannot think. Pendulums cannot predict, they cannot anticipate. They cannot see the consequences of their own actions. They can’t even tell that they’ve been to their desired destination until they see it in the rear view mirror. You might say that they have a very slim grip on reality. They only react. And as a result, they are doomed to a life of constant searching, continually bouncing frantically from one radical position to another. Welcome to the real world. People who practice similar policies WILL suffer similar fates. And welcome to politics.

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Silent

An old fictitious liberal of unknown race, gender, size, and sexual orientation that believes in both God and science and is not the least bit intimidated by numbers. Based on that description, you shouldn't rule out the possibility that we could be a composite character.
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Thank you very much. I still owe you an article regarding team play vs. rugged individualism – it is nowhere near ready, but I just wanted you to know I haven’t forgotten.

For the casual reader, some explanation may be in order. Ms. Rodriguez has her own web presence (a writer’s blog) which I follow and Enjoy (and probably make comments more often than appropriate). But don’t expect more of what you see here – in fact closer to polar opposites; she writes short, even pithy, powerful poetry on matters closer to the heart – areas I fear to coverin which I feel I have little to contribute. Her blog would surely satisfy your goal, as expressed in How We Lose Our Grip On Reality, of diversifying your information sources.

Also don’t think that a flattering comment here will automatically get you a rousing endorsement of your own website. But then again, you need not take my word for it.